GOP treasurer candidate Allison Ball says office should be used as financial watchdog

The three-way race to become the Republican nominee for state treasurer is largely a geographic contest with each of the candidates representing a portion of the state.

Prestonsburg bankruptcy attorney Allison Ball faces western Kentucky state Rep. Kenny Imes of Paducah and former Fayette County Judge-Executive Jon Larson in the primary Tuesday.

Ball, who was the first entrant in the race, says she was influenced by her work in bankruptcy to make sure Kentuckians find a “sound financial footing.”

“Whoever holds that office should be someone who keeps and eye on the spending,” Ball said. “As somebody who really believes in fiscal responsibility and conservative economic principles that’s something I get excited about.”

As treasurer, Ball said an area of focus should be the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System. In June, the funding ratio will only get worse for KTRS as new federal accounting standards push the debt to $21 billion and below a 50 percent funded threshold.

The state treasurer sits on the KTRS board, and Ball said the state needs someone on the board who’s “thinking long-term.”

Ball said bonding the underfunded pension system, as proposed in this year’s session with a multi-billion-dollar bond is not the way the state should tackle the problem.

Calling the problem facing KTRS complicated, Ball said she agrees there should be an independent review of the system.

Nick Storm

Nick Storm is the Anchor and Managing Editor of Pure Politics available exclusively on Spectrum News. Pure Politics is the only nightly program dedicated to Kentucky politics. Nick covers all of the political heavyweights and his investigative work brings to light issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, like his coverage of the backlog of DNA rape kits waiting to be tested in Kentucky. Nick is also working on a feature length bio documentary Outlaw Poet: A documentary on Ron Whitehead. Pure Politics airs weeknight at 7 and 11:30 on Spectrum News. Follow Nick on Twitter @NStorm_Politics. Nick can be reached at 502-792-1107 or nicholas.storm@charter.com.